Telephone users are being victimized by a new type of theft through the unauthorized use of telephone credit card codes for access to long distance telephone services. Theft of telephone codes is accomplished by observing the telephone key pad as a user inputs credit card codes. Sophistication in theft of telephone services has extended to use by thieves of binoculars and other optical devices to visually access the telephone key pads.
Telephone companies have advised customers that have encountered this theft that it is their obligation to take necessary precautions against this theft of telephone services. The telephone industry, however, has failed to provide the consumer with the means to safeguard against theft of telephone services. The consumer is financially burdened with theft of telephone services without means of redress.
The present invention is directed to a telephone security shield which may readily be attached to public telephones to limit visual access to the telephone key pad to the user. It will be appreciated that such a shield in order to be practical must be of uncomplex design, light weight and readily carried without burden to the user.
Accordingly, it is a broad object of the invention to provide a telephone security shield in the form of a foldable panel which may be removably positioned over a standard telephone key pad to limit visual access to telephone users.
A more specific object of the invention is to provide a telephone security shield which readily folds into a compact configuration for storage and ready accessibility by the user.